Camera



April 9, 1940. GALTER 2,196,504

CAMERA Filed April 19. 1939 IlIlIII/IIIII I Ely/ll [All Patented Apr. 9,1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3Claims.

My invention relates to a built-in and electrically operatedsynchronized photo-flash means.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide a camera having abuilt-in and electrically operated synchronized photo-flash unit so asto eliminate the bulky and awkward photo-flash gun and the need ofextraneous attachments. To create a camera having special shutter actionsynchronized with the photo-flash means and designed for use under anylighting conditions. To supply a camera having space for batterieshaving long life current supply. To provide a detachable photo-flashmeans so that sunlight snaps may be taken without the use of a flashbulb. To create an extension device for special interior shots, and suchother objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fullyappear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment ofmy invention yet I wish it understood that the same is susceptible ofmodification and change without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing Fig. l is a front elevationalview of my camera, and Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; .Fig. 3 isa detail sectional elevational view of my flash operating switch in openposition with part of the casing broken away showing batteries; Fig. 4is a detailed sectional elevational view of the switch in closedposition; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 cut away toshow the batteries, Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view showingcompartment for batteries and Fig. 'l is a diagram of the electricalcircuit.

The embodiment selected to illustrate my invention comprises a camera l0having a casing I, with a removable back l2, lens l3 and sighting meansH.

The casing II has a raised portion l5 on its front face l5. Attached tosaid raised portion l5, which like the rest of the casing is of plasticmaterial such as Bakelite or any other suitable non-conductor material,is a metal base plate l1. A shutter plate It is pivotally attached tosaid base plate l1, and in normal position covers the shutter opening I3in the base plate H. The shutter plate It has olfset portions 60 toengage a pivoted stop member 6|.

In a cut out portion 20 in the base plate I'I a metal contact member 2|is attached to the raised portion I! of the casing H and is insulatedfrom the other conductor elements.

camera having a A trigger 22 has a manually operable finger piece 23extending externally through cap 24 which covers the raised portion l5.The .trigger 22 is pivotally attached to the base plate I! by pivot pin25 and has an arm 25 with a knob 21, 5 a turned up portion 23 and aplate portion 23 with a pin 30 attached adjacent to and extending beyondthe outer edge of the plate.

A spring 3| extends between turned up portion 28 and stop member 32.Another spring 33 10 of the safety pin type extends between knob 21 andanother knob 34 in the shutter plate "I.

A wire 35 leads from the contact member 2| through an opening 35, in thebase plate l1 and raised portion IS. A second wire 31 is soldered 15 tothe base plate at point 38 just above turned up portion 28 and alsoleads through opening 36.

Wires 35 and 31 lead to a section 39 of the casing I where they areattached to contact springs 20 40 and 4| respectively which are attachedto the bottom of casing Said section 39 of casing II is adapted to holdtwo pen-eel! batteries 42 and43, the lower portions of which engagecontact springs 40 and 4|.

Batteries 42 and 43 are held within section 39 by means of a spring 44which is attached to the front of casing II. The upper terminals ofbatteries 42 and 43 engage contact members 45 and 46 respectively whichextend through the 30 top of casing |l. Said contact members 45 and 46are adapted to receive poles 4'! and 41 of bulb attachment 49. Bulbattachment 49 is adapted toreceive a light bulb 5| of the photoflashtype.

A reflector 52 engages bulb 5| or bulb attach- 5 ment 49 by means oftension arms 53 and 54.

In operation one of my batteries is connected by wire 31 to the baseplate l1 and the other battery is connected by wire 35 to contact spring2|. When finger piece 23 of trigger 22 is pressed 0 downward, tension iscreated in spring 33 causing shutter plate l8 to rotate and bringopening of shutter plate l8 in line with shutter opening IS in the baseplate l1 through cooperation of offset portions and pivoted stop member6|. 5

The film is thus exposed before the electric circuit is completed inorder to prevent discharge of the flash bulb before the shutter is openand the film exposed. The film remains exposed until after the electriccircuit has been com- 50 pleted and the flash bulb discharged.

Due to the downward pressure exerted on the trigger finger 23, plateportion 29 of the trigger mechanism 22 is moved upward so that pin 30engages contact member 2|. This completes the u electric circuit andcauses the discharge of flash bulb 5!. When trigger finger 23 isreleased, springs 3i and 33 return the trigger 22 and shutter plate 29to their normal positions, so

that shutter opening I 9 is again covered.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A camera comprising a lens, a casing, said casing having transversepartitions forming sections for the reception of film and batteries, apair of batteries positioned within one of said sections, a resilientmember attached to said casing and extending within said section toretain said batteries in said section, a base plate attached to thefront of said casing having a shutter opening, a shutter plate pivotallyattached to said base plate for normally closing said shutter opening, acontact member attached to the front of said casing, a trigger memberpivotally attached to said base plate and having a finger piece manuallyoperable from the exterior of the device, and a contact pin, a springattached to and extending between the trigger member and the shutterplate, means connecting the base plate with one of the batteries, means'connecting the contact member with the other battery and meanscomprising plug-in jacks carried by said casing and protrudingtherethrough for contacting said batteries and for ready insertion of aflash bulb socket on the exterior thereof, said trigger member whenpivoted by manual operation exerting pressure on the spring connectingit with the shutter plate to pivot the shutter plate so as to expose theshutter opening and to then bring the contact pin in contact with thecontact member so as to close the electrical circuit and cause thedischarge of the flash bulb while the shutter opening is exposed.

2. A camera comprising a casing having a shutter opening, said casinghaving transverse partitions forming sections for the reception of filmand batteries, a pair of batteries positioned within one of saidsections, a contact member attached to said casing, means connecting thecontact member with one of the batteries, and means comprising plug-injacks carried by said casing and protruding therethrough for contactingsaid batteries and for ready insertion of a flash bulb socket on theexterior thereof, a shutter plate pivotally attached to said casing andcovering said shutter opening in normal position, a trigger memberpivotally attached to said casing, means connecting the trigger memberwith the other battery, said trigger member having a finger piece and acontact member, resilient means connecting the trigger member with theshutter plate, said trigger member upon pressure on the tinger piecepivoting upwardly to apply pressure on the resilient member to pivot inturn the shutter plate so as to expose the shutter opening, said triggermember continuing upwardly so as to move its contact member againstcontact member of the casing and complete the electrical circuit andcause the flash bulb to be discharged while the shutter opening isexposed.

3. In a camera having a transverse compartment within the body andintermediate the ends thereof slots extending through said body and intosaid compartment, a battery in said compartment, a flash bulb,synchronizing contacts operated by the shutter mechanism of said camera,and means for connecting said flash bulb in circuit with saidsynchronizing contacts and with said battery, said means including aflash bulb socket mounted on the exterior of said body immediatelyadjacent said compartment by circuit connecting prongs depending fromsaid socket and extending through said slots.

JACK 'GAL'I'ER.

